With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund working its method deeper into skilled golf through its new pact with the PGA Tour, it’s honest to marvel what different sports activities the nation might be fascinated with quickly.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver gained’t utterly outrule the potential of the Saudi PIF coming into the league in some form or type, given the NBA lately determined to allow sovereign wealth funds to purchase minority stakes in franchises.

“People are a little too dismissive these days about the benefits that come from the commonality around sports,” Silver mentioned throughout a latest appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” whereas discussing the PGA Tour deal.

While he famous sportswashing issues related to Saudi Arabia makes funding from the nation a “two-edged sword,” he’s bullish on sports activities presenting “an opportunity to bring people together.”

Silver clarified that the Saudis haven’t made any official inquiries about shopping for into an NBA membership. “They certainly haven’t come to the league office,” he mentioned.

The PIF owns Premier League Newcastle United however any funding within the NBA must be for a non-controlling stake.

“We allow funds to invest in teams but not control teams, not to have influence over teams,” Silver defined.

The NBA in 2022 started playing preseason video games in Abu Dhabi, which has its personal human rights violations however not on the identical degree as Saudi Arabia.

Judging by Silver’s feedback, it sounds just like the NBA can be open to funding from the Saudi PIF, particularly on the proper worth.

The Big Ten Conference has given an early look of how its new nationwide footprint will work competitively.

Following the dramatic addition of USC and UCLA to create school sports activities’ first coast-to-coast convention, the Big Ten unveiled soccer schedule templates for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Ending the convention’s divisional format, all 16 groups will use a brand new “flex protect plus” mannequin which blends rotating opponents and guarded rivalries.

Each group will nonetheless play 9 intraconference video games per yr, and face each different convention opponent not less than twice in a four-year interval.

Perhaps most critically, rivalries reminiscent of Michigan-Ohio State and UCLA-USC which can be a bedrock of school soccer will stay annual fixtures.

The format might be a key showcase within the convention’s $7 billion set of media rights deals with CBS, Fox, and NBC.

More Big 12 Moves?

Realignment that has rocked school sports activities in recent times might be persevering with as Big 12 executives reportedly visited the University of Memphis to conduct “due diligence” towards potential convention enlargement.

While Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark denied making the go to, Memphis has lengthy desired to affix a Power Five convention. Yormark additionally mentioned earlier this month the convention has a “plan” for extra enlargement after the July 1 arrivals of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF, and in addition goals to change into a nationwide entity.

Liverpool has taken a significant step in its Anfield Road Stand enlargement mission by eradicating the large roof — weighing greater than 600,000 kilos — from the 139-year-old stadium.

The Premier League membership — the fourth-most useful on this planet at $5.2 billion, according to Forbes — started efforts to increase Anfield’s capability from 53,000 to 61,000 in 2021. The work will reportedly value $97 million.

Two large cranes have been constructed on the pitch to facilitate the roof’s elimination, a course of that required vital testing, given the load of the cranes amounted to almost 4 occasions the load of the roof itself.

Fans in Liverpool can anticipate new upper-level seating when they’re welcomed again to the venue this fall. The membership anticipates building to be accomplished earlier than the beginning of the 2023-34 season.

The membership lately launched time-lapsed footage of the mission, giving followers an in-depth have a look at the prolonged efforts being made to modernize Anfield.

More seating ought to deliver in additional income for the membership that lastly turned a profit this yr after two straight years of monetary losses. 

Liverpool has lately been linked to a possible sale, however present house owners Fenway Sports Group don’t seem completely set on transferring on from the membership.

Major League Soccer has been on the middle of the soccer universe with Lionel Messi’s high-profile move to Inter Miami. But Matt Rizzetta is an enormous believer within the lower-level United Soccer League — and he’s removed from alone.

Rizzetta — who by way of his North Sixth Group owns majority management of Campobasso FC and a minority stake Ascoli FC in Italy — and his companions will area an enlargement franchise in USL League One, the third tier of American soccer, primarily based in Brooklyn, New York.

The membership, which can begin taking part in in 2025, will search to capitalize on the rising curiosity in soccer forward of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brooklyn’s rise as a rising and distinct a part of New York City, and USL’s improvement.

Financial phrases weren’t disclosed. However, enlargement charges for the USL Championship — the extent just under MLS — at the moment are $20 million, whereas these in USL League One have reached $5 million.

USL grew its attendance 34% final yr, and the Brooklyn enlargement will be part of six different new USL Championship franchises and three extra in USL League One.

“USL has passed the test of time,” Rizzetta informed Front Office Sports. “New leadership has also come in and worked really well with club owners, and we were impressed by that.”

Rizzetta has not disclosed the place the brand new group will play. Two present potential venues in Brooklyn provisionally accredited by USL every would require upgrades. Other key parts, reminiscent of membership identify and model might be unveiled this summer time.